A presentation by James Reed at ATBC on 13th July 2015.

1. James Reed, Liz Deakin, Josh van Vianen, Terry Sunderland (CIFOR)
ATBC, Honolulu, July 13th 2015
What are integrated landscape approaches and how effectively
have they been implemented in the tropics: a systematic map

2. What are integrated landscape
approaches?
 A response to the failings of sectorial land management
approaches
 The latest in a series of attempts to concurrently address
conservation and development challenges
 A refinement of previous approaches
 A method to integrate stakeholders at multiple scales
 A framework to integrate policy and practice
 An attempt to reconcile traditional scientific disciplinary
divides
 A land management strategy to fulfill social, economic,
ecological & cultural objectives
 A tool to assess performance and manage trade-offs within
the landscape
 All of the above?

3. Landscapes are complex socio-
ecological systems
Hypothesis:
The confusion over the conceptualization and application of
integrated landscape approaches is impeding policy traction
and practitioner uptake.
Terminology confusion (from Google):
We use the same words but we aren’t speaking the
same language
Objective:
Systematically map the available evidence to provide clarity

4. Systematic Review Maps
• Transparent, repeatable, pre-determined methodology
• Commonly used in medical research
• Recently adopted by natural and social sciences
(see www.environmentalevidence.org)

5. Methods
Evolution of search terms and strategy:
• Internal/external consultation
• Two stakeholder workshops (Nairobi & Cape Tribulation)
• Extensive scoping exercise using Web of Science
• Developed inclusion/exclusion criteria for studies
• Protocol published. See Reed et al. 2015:
http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/2047-2382-4-2.pdf
Specialist databases:
Scopus
CAB Direct
ISI Web of Knowledge
PubMed
Internet searches:
Google Scholar
Other:
Grey literature search

6. Screening results: peer-reviewed articles
26,303 scoping results in WoK
using 35 revised search terms
13,290 Publications captured with
refined search terms
All TITLES screened
271,974 results from initial 56
main search terms trialed in WoK
1,171 Relevant studies
All ABSTRACTS screened
382 Relevant studies
All FULL TEXTS screened
82 Final studies of relevance

7. Further screening
215 Grey literature documents
56 Articles identified by the author group/experts in the field
82 Articles retrieved from screening the bibliographies of relevant peer-reviewed
material
As a further attempt to reduce bias, the review team rotated ‘accepted at full text’
articles.

8. Objectives Outputs
Proposed
• Chart theory
• Untangle definitions
• Map implementations
• 1 final publication
Realized
• Multiple questions
• Theory development distinct from
implementation
• Case studies not widely reported in
peer reviewed material
• Toolkit potential
• Further confusion surrounding
definitions?
• Multiple outputs

9. Development of
“Integrated Landscape Approach” theory

10. Development of the Landscape Approach
1980s 1990s 2000s 2010 - present
1980s: Integrated
Rural Development
1998: Integrated Natural
Resource Management (INRM)
1985 onwards: Integrated
Conservation & Development
projects (ICDPs)
Contributing Sciences:
Ecosystem Management
Landscape Ecology
Island biogeography
Conservation rooted frameworks
e.g. “Ecosystem Approach”
1992: “Landscape Approach”
first documented (Barrett 1992)
Last decade:
(Integrated) Landscape
Approach frameworks

11. Lessons learned
• Landscape Approaches often funded on short term or temporary basis (time limited project
investments)
• Terminology issues
• Landscape approach remains relatively under-theorized
• Lack of true integration across scientific disciplines
• Institutional barriers - government agencies still rooted in silos
• Governance concerns
• Empowerment and engagement concerns
• Lack of appropriate metrics and monitoring

12. Systematic Review on Landscape
Approaches
The case studies

13. Preliminary results
Geographical Distribution of Case Studies
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Africa Central Asia South
America
Sub
Continental
Asia
Multiple SE Asia Australasia Central
America
No.ofcasestudies
Region

14. Preliminary results
Main Project Focus of Case Studies
29%
16%
25%
13%
13%
4%
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
Livelihoods
Water
Forests
Soil
Biodiversity Conservation
Agriculture
Percentage of peer-reviewed studies (%)

15. Preliminary results (peer-reviewed only)
Success of implementation Reasons identified for success
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Successful Not
determined
Mixed
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Successful Mixed

16. Challenges
 Large body of literature on “landscape approaches” and
“ecosystem approaches” but little consensus on applicability
or terminology
 General principles and guidelines have been largely missing
But see: Sayer et al. 2013. Ten principles for a landscape
approach…
 However, need to avoid “one size fits all” approach
 Governance concerns, lack of empowerment given to rural
communities
 Limited private sector investment
 Institutional & disciplinary barriers - government agencies
still rooted in silos
 Lack of appropriate metrics: “monitoring is the least well
developed area”
 Stop making assumptions, start acting…but how?!

17. Learn from what works
And avoid repeating mistakes

18. Thank you for your attention
Special thanks to Terry Sunderland, Josh
van Vianen and Liz Deakin
http://www.landscapes.org/